Help! Beatles jackets auctioned at Adelphi

'Holy grail' of memorabilia expected to fetch more than £50k

JACKETS worn by George Harrison and Ringo Starr during the filming of The Beatles' film Help! are to be auctioned in Liverpool next moth.

The jackets, which are among the most recognisable pieces of Beatles memorabilia, come from the private collectiion of filmmaker Dick Lester and feature on the soundtrack's album cover.

They are expected to sell for more than £50,000. But what would you do with them? And to be honest, you'd need the hats.

Speaking of hats, interest in The Beatles is at a peak right now.

Sunday marked 50 years since the Fab Four made their first US television appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show which was watched by 73 million Americans still trying to come to terms with the loss of John F Kennedy less than three months earlier. There was a party at the British Consul in New York, attended by Liverpool's very own Lord mayor, Gary Millar.

Help!, the 1965 comedy adventure, was directed by Lester, 82, one of the most influential directors of the 1960s who also made The Beatles' first film, A Hard Day's Night.

Auctioneer Paul Fairweather, of Omega Auctions, said: "As Beatles clothing goes, these have got to be among the Holy Grail for any Beatles collector. They feature on one of their most recognisable album covers and I have a feeling these could really fly off the block!"

He added: "The coats are tailored and very stylish and if I had the money to afford them, I would wear them without hesitation."

The sale is part of an auction of more than 200 lots of rare Beatles memorabilia and vinyl records to be hosted by Omega Auctions on March 20 at the Adelphi Hotel to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the release of The Beatles' number one hit Can't Buy Me Love.

No Stones unturned as Beatles go to No 1 in Times chart of best bands ever

The Times published its list of the top 20 bands ever yesterday, as compiled by Bob Stanley, critic, St Etienne founder and author of Yeah Yeah Yeah: The Story of Modern Pop. Well, well, well.

1) Beatles

2) KLF

3) Beach Boys

4) ABBA

5) Sex Pistols

6) Blondie

7) T-Rex

8) Dexys

9) Led Zepplin

10) TLC

11) Bee Gees

12) Shangri-Las

13) Pulp

14) Sugababes

15) The Smiths

16) The Shadows

17) Fleetwood Mac

18) Slade

19) The Monkees

20) The Superemes

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